When television arrived in Australia in 1956, it coincided with a wave of post-war migration. Among the many communities that helped shape TV culture were Greeks, whose presence both on and off screen left a lasting mark.
According to an article in uow.edu.au, early programs often exoticised migrants, with variety shows like Café Continental (1958–61) presenting international entertainers. By the 1970s, however, migrant producers themselves began creating content for their communities. For Italians there was Variety Italian Style (1972–87). For Greeks, the breakthrough came with Greek Variety Show (1977–84), produced by Greek Cypriot actor Harry Michaels. His work extended far beyond the community-his fitness series Aerobics Oz Style (1982–2005) became an international success. As Michaels put it: “I was selling Greece to Australians, and then I ended up selling Australia to the world.”
The strongest assertion of Greek-Australian identity came with Acropolis Now (1989–92). Starring Nick Giannopoulos, Mary Coustas and George Kapiniaris, the sitcom centred on a Melbourne café run by Greek migrants and their children. It offered audiences not just laughs but a chance to see Greek-Australian life represented with pride and humour, challenging decades of crude stereotypes in earlier dramas where migrants were often portrayed as criminals or victims.
Greek stories on Australian TV also reflected the broader migrant experience—balancing heritage with adaptation, family ties with modern life. Alongside SBS’s launch in 1980, which gave migrant communities a dedicated platform, Greek Australians contributed to making multiculturalism visible and relatable on screen.
Source: uod.edu.au
